The Panama Papers leak reinforces the long-held suspicion that it is financial power that is shaping this world.
This extends not only to powerful institutions in the "developed" world, but also to the fractious tribalism and fundamentalism in other nations -- the Middle East, Africa, South America and so on.
Everybody is in it for the money, despite their supposed high ideals, religious, tribal, regional or otherwise.
Bernie Hodges, Songkhla
Bungling traffic cops
Re: "Two-wheelers protest against new road bans", (BP, April 5).
The picture of motorbikes lined up in Samut Prakan as far as the eye can see because they are banned from using a public bridge to go into Bangkok shows how out of touch the traffic police are.
Thailand has one of the highest accident rates in the world and the worst traffic. Unbelievable that authorities would have time to harass the only fast means of transport out there.
Karl Stanford
Visual bludgeoning
Re: "Supermarkets too loud", (PostBag, April 5).
Remi Gagnon's observations about supermarket customers' ears being assailed by merciless sonic signatures are well placed.
We can, naturally, take this a step further by lamenting the visual bludgeoning we receive every time we venture into, or near, central Bangkok. There is apparently no escape from mostly inane adverts, mindlessly peddling products that no-one really needs. Four billion years of evolution, and this is what we're reduced to. Good grief.
Dr Frank
Walk the walk
Re: "Check own backyard", (PostBag, April 5).
I wish I could agree with Mr A Johnson who says that as all parties are held back by corrupt politicians (with which I heartily agree), instead of opposing PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, politicians should cleanse their parties. He says that "normal social behaviour has to be established in Thai politics where parties themselves kick out bad types and make them persona non grata in Thai politics forever".
But no matter how corrupt politicians are, they can be no worse than those who voted them in. You and I, dear reader, must support leaders who will put national interests before their own, those who will think of other people -- including those who oppose them -- not just themselves. Thailand cannot exist as half yellow and half red, any more than the US could exist as half slave and half free in Abraham Lincoln's time.
This means that we must practise political tolerance, for "real democratic values are how to reach a consensus, how to tolerate other people. These are the core values that we have not tried to learn or to emulate, or understand", as put by former prime minister Anand Panyarachun. We must learn that others have valid points to make, reach out to them, negotiate in good faith and work out over-arching goals by coming together as a team. Thus, we will have sustainable buy-in from all.
Now, we have near-zero tolerance. Even if voters wanted to consider other viewpoints, we have been ordered: "You can think, but don't express your thoughts," as put by Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon. We have been subject to "attitude adjustments" for telling Gen Prayut that we should be taught the rationale for his 12 values, rather than just memorising them. The Democrats couldn't even hold an internal party meeting to discipline the mayor of Bangkok for not following party policies.
Gen Prayut talked the democratic talk when he said, in a four-page Bangkok Post ad, that a politically active citizenry was at the core of democracy, which would emphasise strengthening horizontal power and lessening vertical power. He should now walk the walk.
Burin Kantabutra
Uneasy pass
I observed some very heave traffic congestion in front of toll booths on the expressway.
Alternatives such as a deposit cards should be provided to lessen traffic problems. The easy pass is simply not enough. Make it quick and effective like its name implies.
Somwut S
